Those Golden Days
by A Catholic Girl
Summary: Do you remember those schoolday loves, those relationships that could never last? Sometimes, we must look back at them, these golden days of ours. Response to the 100 Pairings Challenge, now completed.
1. Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater

_A/N: I'm giving another go at the 100 Pairings Challenge over at HPFC. The 10 pairings mentioned in this story are from Table C - Schoolday Romances. I hope you enjoy this!_

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He remembers when he felt bubbly and lightheaded whenever in her presence.

He sat behind her in Double Potions in fifth year, and the scent of her shampoo would always waft through his nostrils constantly. She smelt like strawberries. Normally, that scent only made him nauseous – God knows what for – but with her, it made him nervous, light, and completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

But now, the berry scent causes him to be sick, and no longer is he frivolous at any mention of her.

He remembers when he felt jealous when seeing her at Hogsmeade with Connor Gellar, the precocious Head Boy from Ravenclaw at the time.

She had refused to go out with him, calling him 'too clingy already'. He found himself following her and Connor in the village, even going as far as hiding behind a stack of parchment at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. He had never felt such an infuriating but longing feeling before, but he _needed_ her.

But now, he calls himself stupid for following her around like an obsessed puppy. He was better than that, he was _always _better than that.

He remembers everything – the fright he felt when she was Petrified, the sorrow he felt when having to leave her for the summer, and the passion he felt when kissing her.

But she never felt a thing, except for thrill and the comfort of dating someone. That was not love, only the sake of loving…

He just feels sorry she could never love, no matter what she thought.

_(Percy/Penelope)_

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_A/N: Please do review!_


	2. Harry Potter and Cho Chang

She's heard that some people called her a gold digger, a heartless girl, and a two-timing wench. She cries because it's all untrue – she never liked him for his glory, never smiled at him because he was the Boy Who Lived. She liked him, she liked him very much.

Others say that she went out with him only because of what happened the previous year. She denies this too, but because that is true. At the time, she didn't know that, and maybe he didn't either. But what was wrong with loving to stay in the game?

People also tell her that he once loved her, and once stared at her with the emptiest and most love struck eyes imaginable. She can only ignore this, pretending that it doesn't bother her years later. But she always thinks back to those days, and regrets what she did to betray him and his friends.

Life is hard for her now. She has purposely estranged herself from the wizardry world, and has created a new existence for herself among the Muggles.

Sometimes she hides herself from her husband and looks at an old photograph from when he defeated You-Know-Who (she doesn't know why she's still afraid to say his name). In the photo, his eyes are wary, as they always seemed to be, but his facial expression is joyful and eager.

She looks at her own face then, and can see the bags underneath her eyes and the grey streaks in her hair.

It is then when she cries wholeheartedly, without holding back, and with no shame.

_(Harry/Cho)_

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_A/n: Please review if you do read. Even if it's only a word, I appreciate it all the same. _


	3. Lavender Brown and Ron Weasley

_A/N: One of my favorites so far!_

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Lavender will always remember her mother as a strict and old-fashioned Muggle, and a person who never approved of her magical husband and daughter. But what she will always remember from her childhood is her mother's unhealthy fondness of outdated romance films.

These films were odd, steamy, and American. Mrs. Brown would watch a different film every Friday night, when her husband was out late with his wizard friends. Sometimes, Lavender would be allowed to watch with her after she took her bath, and she would sit on her mother's lap in her pajamas, fighting back winks of sleep.

One thing Lavender found fascinating about her mother's films were the passionate and timely kisses between the characters. She became glued to these scenes, with the lusty words exchanged between two people, and then the lip locking following. Her parents never acted that way with each other. She always assumed that the heated relationships portrayed in films were exactly like ones in real life.

People ask her if she purposely dedicated her relationship with Ron to snogging – not sentimental kissing, only rushed and rapid snogging. But Lavender replies simply – she knew relationships only as that at the time.

Lavender can't recall her verbal moments with Ron, but perhaps that is for the best. She never wants a dull, speaking relationship with someone. She loves fairy tales and her mother's romance films, and only wants to be a princess – a princess who always had someone to kiss, and who always had an opportunity to feel beautiful. And that is all she wants.

_(Lavender/Ron)_

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_A/N: Please review!_


	4. Angelina Johnson and Fred Weasley

"It's good to see you again, Angie," Fred grinned at her, and Angelina asked herself how he could possibly smile at a time like this. But despite this, she found the courage to force her lips upwards at him.

"You too, Fred. I've missed you."

He reached out his hand and stroked her cheek, smiling even more. Now she noticed how his smile was wistful and nervous, as if he – Fred Weasley, of all people! – was frightened of going into battle.

Assuming that he understood her nervousness as well, Angelina bit her lip hard to keep back her tears and flung her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt. He pulled her into a hug in response, and rubbed her back soothingly. They could sense each other's nerves, but said nothing.

All around them, Order members and students were rushing out into the hall, their wands at the ready, preparing to fight. But they kept holding on – they weren't ready to let go.

When their eyes met again, Angelina's pupils were red and her cheeks were wet, while Fred's entire face appeared glassy and translucent.

"W-we have to go," she choked out. "We can't stay, we have to go-"

She made to leave, but Angelina turned to find Fred still holding her hand, wand in his free hand.

"We can fight together." He wasn't suggesting this, he was _telling_ her. "We don't have to spilt up…"

She shook her head, crying quietly. Slipping her hand out of his, Angelina ran out of the Room of Requirement without a second thought or a look back. He didn't need a burden like her on his hands when fighting – she was tough enough to get through this alone. They'd see each other again, this was not good-bye…

She thought this only to be proven wrong hours later.

_(Angelina/Fred)_

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_A/N: Please review!_


	5. Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum

She patiently sounds out her name once more. "Her-my-oh-nee." Her voice is clear and fresh, just like music.

He keeps his eyes focused on his plate, because he fears that if he looks at her, he'll become too immersed in her eyes, her big brown pupils filled with so much beauty and hope. "Herm-own-ninny."

She smiles warily, but pats his hand understandingly. "It's all right, Viktor. Everyone has faults."

_Except you,_ he says in his mind. _You are perfect._

"Shall we dance, Viktor?"

He nods his head yes, and as they join in on a waltz, his poor dancing skills become obvious. He apologizes for stepping on her foot several times, and she only smiles at him.

It would have been a perfect night with a perfect date. But then he sees her arguing with that redhead boy when he is away getting drinks, and he then knows the truth about her.

She can never love him. She loves this angry boy. She possibly does not know it yet, but she can _never_ love him, and has always loved this other boy. Her heart has been captured by another, and he can do nothing.

_(Hermione/Krum)_

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_A/N; Thank you for all the reviews! Care to leave me some more? _


	6. Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas

"Keep still…move your chin up a bit…that's good, Gin, stay like that…"

It is a warm spring day, and they're sitting underneath a tree by the lake. Dean is supplied with his sketchpad and charcoal pencil, and he is drawing a still portrait of Ginny, who sits stiffly and patiently for her image to be captured.

He draws her eyes with love and carefulness, trying to portray them perfectly. Dean looks back up at his muse to check one detail, and can't help but feel a ping in his heart when he sees the emptiness in Ginny's expression. He can tell that deep down, she doesn't want to be here with him.

"Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"I understand if you're not in the mood for this…"

"No, no, keep drawing, Dean…" Ginny insists in order to fool him into thinking she's perfectly fine, but Dean knows better.

He is tired of the lack of energy in their relationship. He is tired of her not giving him enough attention. But he can hold up for a little while longer. When he's tired of everything, it'll be time for the end.

The end is near.

_(Ginny/Dean)_

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_A/N: Please review!_


	7. George Weasley and Alicia Spinnet

"I love you, Alicia," George plopped down on an armchair with a silly grin on his face. Alicia couldn't detect if he was joking, once again, or telling the truth, once again.

"If you really love me," Alicia set aside her quill in defiance, "you'll be able to say what makes you do so."

"Hark!" George shifted on his chair. "Do I hear a challenge being thrown out, fair lady?"

Alicia rolled her eyes, but smiled anyways. "Yes. George Weasley, I challenge you to name the reasons why you love me, Alicia Spinnet." She paused for dramatic effect, and then continued, "Go."

George moved from the far side of the common room and stopped at the table where her homework was laid out. "You're not afraid to speak your opinion. When you curse someone out, I find you very attractive."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You can easily laugh, and your hair always smells like flowers…"

Alicia self-consciously sniffed a strand of her hair.

"And you make _me_ laugh," George smiled at her actions. "Is that enough reasons for you, my damsel?"

"One more," she crossed her arms across her chest, waiting. Her face was already burning up from what George was saying about her, but she didn't care.

"You're so cute when you blush," George replied, taking note of her face. "That's the last reason why I love you."

Alicia smiled timidly, her cheeks still an obvious red. "And do you know why I love you?"

George grinned. "Why?"

She rose from her chair to kiss him deeply on the lips. When they broke apart, Alicia slipped her hand into his as she opened her mouth to speak.

"You let me do that."

_(George/Alicia)_

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_A/N: Please review!_


	8. Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory

They take a break from dancing and steal outside, and are walking alongside the lake, hands entwined. They are talking about life, deeply and truthfully.

"Do you ever get scared?" she asks, smiling up at him questioningly. "…Scared of the Tournament or its Tasks?"

He looks at the full moon above, his masculinity glowing in the night. "It's a waste of time to be scared. I try not to be afraid."

"But what is your worst fear? You must have one."

"To be away from you," he answers quickly and straightforwardly, squeezing her hand. "I'd _hate_ to be away from you."

"I'll never go away," she rests her head against his shoulder, and closes her eyes. "I'll always be with you, don't worry."

He smiles into her hair and kisses the top of her head, breathing in her scent. For once, the stress of the competition leaves him, and he feels at peace with himself. He knows that she hates to lie – she is telling him the truth.

But _he_ never said that he'd stay with her, and in just months, he is gone.

_(Cho/Cedric)_

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_A/N: For a moment, I think this one got a little Edward Cullen-ish towards the end. _

_Please review!_


	9. Ginny Weasley and Michael Corner

She sees him at the Yule Ball, causing a ruckus with his House friends. As McGonagall swoops down on the group with flared nostrils, he catches her eye, and winks, a flushed smile on his face. Later, after receiving detention for behaving inappropriately in front of a horde of Beauxbaton girls, he approaches her when Neville is away talking with his Herbology partner.

She sees his occasional bitterness on their first date in Hogsmeade, but likes him for it. It'd be unnatural to be with a boy who remained well-tempered all of the time.

But this bitterness becomes stronger when he is displeased at the results of the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match. She shows support for her House just as much as anyone else, but in actuality, it's just a bloody game.

That bloody Ravenclaw. From then on, she claims that she hates bitterness in boys, unaware that she'd later be with quite a negative lad…

_(Ginny/Michael)_

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_A/N: Not my favorite piece, but fun to write. After this, there is only one more chapter, one that I'm struggling a bit with...please review!_


	10. Hermione Granger and Cormac McLaggen

Hermione finds the yellowed list underneath her dormitory bed, when she is packing up to leave school for summer holidays. She glances down at the parchment's underlined title absentmindedly.

_My Prince Charming's Requirements_

She smiles, recalling her childhood fondness of fairy tales involving handsome princes and frenzied damsels in distress. Sitting down on the bed, Hermione scans the rest of the list.

_He must be good-looking._

He certainly had an attractive exterior. She had been won over by his crystal blue eyes and his curly, wispy hair.

_He must be athletic. _

Hermione stifles a laugh, as she flashes back to Quidditch tryouts that year when she Confunded him to increase Ron's chance at making the team. Yes, she'll give him that one…

_He must be brave and daring._

He _was _a Gryffindor.

_He must be willing to give anything for me. _

Disgusted, Hermione tosses the list aside and burns it with a flair of her wand. Satisfied, she Vanishes the charcoal remains.

She knows better now. Life is not a fairy tale. And Cormac was not her Prince Charming.

_(Hermione/Cormac)_

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_A/N: And it is finished! Hoorah! Thank you to all of the reviewers! Please leave a final review!_


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